Pakistan’s premier domestic one-day competition has been rebranded as the Champions Cup, two years after its initial launch. The tournament will feature seven matches between four teams, scheduled from 11 to 18 August at the Multan Cricket Stadium, following a single-round robin format with a final. Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Saim Ayub, and Sahibzada Farhan will captain Pakistan Gold, Pakistan Greens, Pakistan Whites, and Pakistan Blues respectively. The squads include several players who have represented Pakistan in international white-ball cricket. Some players are unavailable due to red-ball commitments, as the national Test side is in England preparing for a three‑Test series. Mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed, currently playing The Hundred for Sunrisers Leeds, will also miss the competition.
“We have arranged this high-profile 50-over competition to provide ample playing opportunities to our best available pool of players for ICC Cricket World Cup 2027 preparations,” Aqib Javed, PCB’s director high performance, said in a statement posted to the PCB’s website. “The teams have been assembled keeping in mind the roles of the players in the 50-over game. I wish the best of luck to all the teams and look forward to watch some highly-competitive contests in Multan.”
The Champions Cup was highlighted in 2024 as a prominent event in Pakistan’s domestic cricket calendar, with participation expected from all domestic players and significant remuneration provided to the five mentors assigned to each side. The following year, the event was not held under the same branding, and a more modest white-ball domestic competition took place instead.
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